Edgewater, Florida

Sec. 5-15. – Animals under restraint.

While on or off the property of the owner, it shall be the duty of every owner to keep the animal under restraint and control as follows:

(1) While on the property of its owner:

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b. The animal shall be:

1. Securely and humanely confined within a house, building, fence, crate, pen or other enclosure from which the animal cannot dig, climb, jump or otherwise escape; or

2. Securely and humanely tethered as follows:

i. The animal must be in visible range of the owner or responsible party, which person must also be outside with the animal at all times. There is an authorized narrow exception to this sub-condition: The animal owner, or responsible person, may leave an animal tethered outdoors on the property for a reasonable period not to exceed 30 minutes while such owner or responsible person performs a temporary task indoors or another section of the property. In no event may the owner or responsible person leave the property while an animal is left tethered and unattended outdoors.

ii. The tether is connected with a swivel hook to the animal’s buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather or similar material that is of sufficient size to adequately and safely restrain the animal.

iii. The tether is of a size and weight that is reasonably necessary to safely restrain the animal without placing excessive strain or weight on the animal. It should not exceed one-tenth of the animal’s weight, it should be a length that is at least either five times the length of the animal measured from the nose to the tip of its tail, or ten feet. The trolley cable must not be elevated more than seven feet above the surface.

iv. The animal is not tethered outside in periods of extreme weather, including, but not limited to, extreme heat or cold, thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, tropical storms, or hurricanes.

v. The animal must have access to adequate water, shelter, shade. and dry ground. The tether must be secured in such a way that it cannot become entangled with other objects and deprive the animal of water. shelter, shade, and dry ground.

vi. The animal is at least six months of age.

vii. The animal is not sick or injured.

viii. If there are multiple animals, each animal must be tethered separately and in a manner that does not allow them to become entangled.

ix. There shall be no tethering of any animal during the hours which occur from dusk until dawn.